REID’S HARD-PUNCHING SIDE: To hear Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid describe a key member of the nation’s top nuclear power oversight panel, you wouldn't know he was talking about an Obama administration appointee. The appointee, a fellow Democrat, is a “treacherous, miserable liar,” Reid said. “A first-class rat.” “Unethical, prevaricating … incompetent.” The tirade against NRC Commissioner William Magwood showed the harsher side of the often genial Reid, a former boxer who has shown a pattern of attacking political adversaries — including a fellow Democrat or even a president — and who never forgets a slight. Darius Dixon and Darren Goode have the story: http://politi.co/OhxCBG

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CHEERS, JEERS FROM HILL ON ROMNEY’S PTC STANCE: The news yesterday that Mitt Romney would see the wind production tax credit expire on schedule at the end of this year (rather than incorporate a phase-out period of some kind) brought some cheers but plenty of concern on Capitol Hill. “We have a fiscal disaster ahead of us and the thought of spending $6 billion over the next five years on windmills is preposterous,” Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said. “That suggests to me that Gov. Romney is serious about making tough decisions about reducing runaway federal debt, and I'm glad he said that.” Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.): “I’m thankful for Gov. Romney’s strong stance in favor of ending the 20-year-old wind production tax credit this year. The Solyndra scandal has demonstrated that taxpayers must no longer be forced to subsidize these industries.”

The PTC should get a short extension so details of a phase-out can be worked out on Congress’s schedule, retiring Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) said. “If we're going to restructure it and a lot of these renewable and efficiency credits, it's going to take a little more time to properly restructure than Congress is likely to have right now.” Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.): “It's still kind of a work in progress," Thune said. "I'm for reforming it. You know, I've made it very clear that we need to look at phasing it out, I just don't want to do it overnight.”

INDUSTRY POLL SHOWS WIND SUPPORT IN IOWA: The American Wind Energy Association last night pushed out the results of a recent poll it had conducted in Iowa concluding that 57 percent of Iowa voters (including 41 percent of Republican voters) “would be less likely to vote for a candidate for president if that candidate did not support expanding American wind power generation.” Results memo: http://bit.ly/QPBNF2

HAPPY TUESDAY and welcome to Morning Energy, where we could totally do all the things those Olympic gymnasts are doing — except the backflips, mid-air contortions, swinging on bars and landing without breaking a foot and collapsing in pain. Tell ME if you could at least walk on the balance beam — and share your energy news — at aguillen@politico.com, and follow on Twitter @ POLITICOPro.

LAWMAKERS AGREE ON IRANIAN OIL SANCTIONS: Reuters reports: “U.S. lawmakers moved a step closer to finalizing new sanctions aimed at further restricting Iran's oil revenues after negotiators from the Senate and House of Representatives agreed on a compromise bill on Monday. The bill includes several new provisions seeking to crack down on those who ship or insure Iranian oil cargoes, or who pay for oil using gold. It also seeks to curtail efforts to evade sanctions by reflagging ships or turning off tracking systems.” Reuters: http://reut.rs/MPbeE5

WHAT IF USEC MISSES TODAY’S IMPORTANT DEADLINE? Today could be a big day for USEC. In order to continue to getting DOE support for USEC’s Ohio enrichment project, the company had to establish an independent management board (the American Centrifuge Demonstration LLC) to oversee the research, development and deployment program by July 31. One financial analyst called it USEC’s “first day of reckoning.” When DOE agreed to be part of a $350 million cost-share program — with DOE footing up to $280 million — for USEC’s Ohio enrichment project last month, the agency also said it wouldn’t give a penny more than $26.4 million beyond today without the new board. And if the independent board attached to the project isn’t stacked with prominent firms like Babcock & Wilcox, Toshiba and others, USEC’s future is seriously in doubt.

IT LOOKS LIKE DOE IS GOING TO MISS ITS DEADLINE for releasing a report laying out what recommendations from its Blue Ribbon Commission on nuclear waste the agency can take on without Congress signing off on a new law. The report was expected by July. Phil Niedzielski-Eichner, a senior Nuclear Energy Office official who led the DOE review of the BRC report, has since moved to the NRC to become the chief of staff to recently sworn in Chairwoman Allison Macfarlane. A source tells ME that the forthcoming report discusses consent-based siting, establishes an unrealistic timetable for a waste site and spends several pages outlining options for setting up the government-chartered nuclear waste organization suggested by the BRC. However, the source also said the description of the new organization isn’t in sync with the bill being worked on by Sens. Jeff Bingaman, Lisa Murkowski, Dianne Feinstein and Lamar Alexander.

LaTOURETTE RETIRING: Longtime Ohio Rep. Steve LaTourette was swept in with the Republican Revolution in 1994, and he decided to retire as a new band of conservatives gained prominence in the Capitol. LaTourette’s decision to forgo reelection in November came as a surprise to Republican leaders and sent the local GOP in the Buckeye State scrambling to replace him on the ballot. Jake Sherman, Alex Isenstadt and Jonathan Allen explain: http://politi.co/MuWa9Y

SENATE PANEL TO VOTE ON EU AIRLINE EMISSIONS BILL: The Senate Commerce Committee meets today to mark up several bills, including one blocking U.S. airlines from participating the EU’s airlines emissions trading scheme and another reauthorizing NOAA’s commissioned officer corps. The House last October passed a similar measure blocking the EU emissions program, which requires any flight departing from or arriving in the EU to participate in carbon trading to offset emissions from the flights. The fun starts at 2:30 p.m. in Russell 253.

The administration isn’t letting Congress have all the fun when it comes to the EU emissions trading scheme, or ETS; Todd Stern, the State Department’s top climate envoy, will lead a two-day meeting starting today with other non-EU nations to discuss it. “The purpose of this meeting is really to try to explore whether there might be a basis for a global solution to addressing greenhouse gas emissions from aviation and a global solution that would include the EU and would set aside, or would include the setting aside, of the ETS as applied to foreign carriers,” a senior administration official said yesterday.

** A message from America’s Natural Gas Alliance: Who says natural gas is just for transportation and power generation? EQT Corporation launched a pilot program to convert one of their gas drilling rigs from diesel to natural gas, reducing emissions from their operations. http://bit.ly/LxUWcl **

HOUSE GOP KEEPS HITTING EPA ‘WAR ON COAL’: A House Oversight and Government Reform Committee panel is taking the “war on coal” talk to Ohio (*cough*battlegroundstate*cough*) this morning for a field hearing on the administration’s “green agenda.” "This hearing is about letting the EPA know how their agenda has impacted jobs and hurt the local economy,” subcommittee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said in a statement. Also attending: Reps. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) and David McKinley (R-W.Va.). It starts at 8 a.m. in St. Clairsville, Ohio, not far from Wheeling, W.Va.

EPA DEFENDS PERMITTING: EPA Region 3 Administrator Shawn Garvin and Deputy Region 5 Administrator Bharat Mathur outline and support EPA’s regulatory activities under the Clean Water Act in joint testimony. “The EPA recognizes the significant contribution of coal mining to the Nation’s economic and energy security,” they will say. “I want to assure you that we use our Clean Water Act authorities in a responsible and environmentally effective manner, and while carefully considering potential environmental justice and economic implications.” Their testimony: http://1.usa.gov/NRcX8S

OHIO EPA OFFICIAL: THINK OF THE POWER PLANTS: Pointing to 11 planned power plant closures in the Buckeye State, Bob Hodanbosi, the chief of the Ohio EPA's Division of Air Pollution Control, says that federal regulations have badly hurt EPA’s economy and electric reliability. “Ohio EPA remains concerned that if there are spot shortages of electricity today, the problem will be exacerbated when Ohio loses significant electrical generation capacity due to closures as a result of U.S. EPA requirements,” Hodanbosi will say: http://1.usa.gov/Of2xS5

CLEAN AIR ACT GETS A FULL BODY SCAN: Ohio isn’t the only place EPA regulations are getting the once-over from Republicans. The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy and Power panel will start going over the Clean Air Act, which has been virtually untouched since the overhauling 1990 amendments, piece by piece during two forums this week to identify what’s working, what’s not and next legislative steps (expect disagreement on points 1-3). Topping the agenda will likely be environmental lawsuits that force action through consent decrees, a popular topic of criticism from Republicans, as well as implementation and permitting issues, power prices and electric reliability. Today’s forum is at 2 p.m. in the Capitol Visitors Center’s north meeting room.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: Backbenchers no more, here are some of the House Republicans who were around to vote in favor of the CAA amendments in 1990: Fred Upton, Cliff Stearns, Ralph Hall, Joe Barton, Hal Rogers, Frank Wolf, Dana Rohrabacher and Howard Coble (not to mention Sens. Jim Inhofe, Olympia Snowe and Pat Roberts and Newt Gingrich). A number of Democrats are also still around, including Ed Markey, Barney Frank, Frank Pallone, Nick Rahall, Charles Rangel, Norm Dicks and Peter DeFazio.

STATES BETTER AT BALANCING PERMITTING, ECONOMIC CONCERNS, ARKANSAS OFFICIAL SAYS: Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality Director Teresa Marks has problems with the timing and implementation of standards and regulations, meeting court-ordered deadlines and enforcing EPA guidance instead of formal rulemaking. “The permitting system can be overly burdensome, complicated and lengthy; in some cases, without an observable value-added benefit to public health or the environment," she wrote in a written response to committee questions. "Although EPA recognizes the need to appropriately balance permitting matters with economic growth issues, it is our belief that states are more sensitive to these matters in local permitting efforts.” Her testimony from today: http://bit.ly/MuW5TN

E&C STARTS MARKING UP SOLYNDRA BILL: The full House Energy and Commerce Committee will meet today at 4 p.m. in Rayburn 2123 for opening statements before marking up the “No More Solyndras Act,” which seeks to phase out DOE’s loan guarantee program. The committee will also consider bills dealing with Primatene Mist asthma inhalers and the pesticide methyl bromide. The committee will vote on a new electronic tracking system for hazardous waste shipments this afternoon. The other votes are scheduled for tomorrow at 10 a.m. in Rayburn 2123.

ENERGY RACES TO WATCH IN TODAY’S GEORGIA PRIMARY: Republican Rep. Paul Broun of the Natural Resources and Science Committees and Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Phil Gingrey both face primary challengers today, but The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that neither is in much danger of losing their seats. E&C Democrat John Barrow doesn’t face a primary challenger but could see problems from a Republican in his newly redrawn district this November. More on today’s primaries from the AJC: http://bit.ly/QByVM0

IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY FOR LIHEAP: It may be sweltering outside, but 75 advocates from nonprofit groups are on the Hill today visiting lawmakers about the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. They’re hoping to make the point that energy assistance is just as vital in the hot summer months as during the cold winter.

OBITUARY: George H.W. Bush-era Energy Secretary James Watkins died late last week. The Los Angeles Times: “After taking charge of the Energy Department in 1989, Watkins launched the first program to clean up pollution at the nation's nuclear plants and spearheaded the administration's energy legislation.” http://lat.ms/PWfHTR

— The Wall Street Journal has a closer look at how Chinese state-owned oil companies’ global investments in struggling companies are opening up new production: http://on.wsj.com/N7cltG

— The Senate should quickly follow the House in passing an alternate offshore drilling bill, the American Petroleum Institute and other groups wrote to lawmakers yesterday. The letter: http://politico.pro/QQFtqg

— BSEE says a full-scale exercise deploying the oil industry’s new well containment system was successful. Fuel Fix: http://bit.ly/Qs14uz

— Environmentalists are pointing to this weekend’s Enbridge pipeline spill as another reason for the State Department to look more closely at the Keystone XL. Reuters: http://reut.rs/Oy7TFG

— Andrew Revkin of The New York Times’s Dot Earth blog takes a closer look at this weekend’s studies publicized before peer-reviewed publication: http://nyti.ms/NRfgsu

— The operators of California’s San Onofre nuclear plant think it could come back online by the end of the year. AP: http://huff.to/PgyO7a

THAT’S ALL FOR ME. Remember to stick the landing.

** A message from America’s Natural Gas Alliance: We believe in a clean energy future. Natural gas is a cleaner energy choice and a key partner to solar and wind technologies. From California to Florida, natural gas facilities are co-locating with renewable energy to ensure steady, affordable and cleaner energy choices for communities across our nation. Because it is an abundant and affordable energy source available right here in America, natural gas can help make the promise of cleaner energy a reality in more American communities. Natural gas is smarter power today. Visit anga.us to learn more. **

** A message from Vet Voice Foundation: Tens of thousands of service members and veterans rely on public lands to hunt, fish, camp and heal from the wounds of war. These lands are part of the American heritage we fought for. As a new President and Congress look to rebuild America's infrastructure, we call on them to make an equal investment in maintaining our public lands and parks for our service members and all Americans. Support for our veterans must extend to investing in and protecting America’s natural heritage, for our children and grandchildren. www.VetVoiceFoundation.org **

Authors:

About The Author

Alex Guillén is an energy reporter for POLITICO Pro, where he covers EPA, regulations and coal, as well as lobbying and campaign finance in the energy realm. He previously wrote the Morning Energy newsletter. He graduated from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., with a degree in anthropology and English. He is an avid reader and TV binger. The Delawarean, thrilled that there are finally Capriotti’s outposts in Washington, lives in Alexandria, Va.